• Eligibility Conditions
• Choice of Benefit Plan
• Types of Benefits
• Benefits Amount
  • How Is the Benefit Amount Determined?
  • Deductions at Source
  • Declaring Income While You Are Receiving Benefits
• Benefit Application Process
• Specific events
• Forms
• Repayment of an Amount

How Is the Benefit Amount Determined?

The benefit amount to which you are entitled is based on, among other things:

• The qualifying period
• Your income
• The type of benefit
• The selected plan
• An increase for low-income families
  

To find out the estimated amount of benefits to which you may be entitled, you can try the benefit calculation simulator before applying.

Qualifying Period

The qualifying period is the period over which your income is considered when setting your benefits. For wage earners workers, this period is normally the 52 weeks preceding the benefit period. It can, however, be extended to as many as 104 weeks if you were unable to work and receive insurable income (i.e., the income considered when calculating benefits), in particular for the following reasons:

• You received indemnities from the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail.
• You received employment insurance benefits.
• You received benefits under the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP).
• You received indemnities from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec.

Decrease in income during the qualifying period

A measure taking into account decreases in income during the qualifying period has been in effect since November 5, 2009. If you meet certain conditions, you can request that the qualifying period used to calculate the amount of your benefits be the 52 week-period preceding the first week of your most recent decrease in insurable earnings. (Your insurable earnings are the earnings considered to calculate the amount of the benefits.)

You qualify if you meet the following conditions:

• The drop in insurable income during the qualifying period is for certain specific reasons, such as:
  • you received insurable income while receiving employment insurance benefits
  • your insurable income decreased due to illness, injury or pregnancy
  • you received insurable income while receiving indemnities from the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail
  • you received insurable income while receiving benefits under the QPIP
  • you received insurable income while receiving indemnities from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec
• Your income decreased during the last 26 weeks of your qualifying period, during which you were receiving insurable income.
• During the weeks your income decreased, you did not receive insurable income from salary insurance.

Earnings

To establish your benefit amount, we consider your earnings subject to contributions to the QPIP.

Steady employment income (salary)

We consider that your employment income was steady if you have had one employer and your normal gross weekly salary has always been the same over the 26 weeks preceding the date you wish your benefits to begin. (A public service employee is an example of a person in this situation.)

If this describes your situation and you wish to receive provisional benefits, you must declare the amount of your gross weekly income (salary).

Variable employment income (salary)

We consider that your employment income was variable if your normal gross weekly salary has not always been the same over the 26 weeks preceding the date you wish your benefits to begin. For example, the number of hours varies from week to week; you receive tips or commissions; or you have not worked every week over the past year.

If this describes your situation, you must:

• indicate the number of records of employment you have received over the 52 weeks preceding the date you wish your benefit period to begin;
• declare the dates of the calendar weeks (Sunday to Saturday) in which you neither worked nor received remuneration while you had a job.

Increase for low-income families

The QPIP provides an additional amount for low-income families. If your net family income is less than $25,921, you may be granted an increase in benefits. Please note that remuneration that is insurable for the purposes of the QPIP received as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource is not included in net family income.

It is important that you inform us without delay of any change in your situation.

Last update: 2009-11-05

© Gouvernement du Québec, 2012